Numbers 14:1-15:16

Numbers 14:1-15:16New International Version (NIV)

The People Rebel

14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness!3 Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there.6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”

10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites.11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?12 I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they.”

13 Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them.14 And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard that you, Lord, are with these people and that you, Lord, have been seen face to face, that your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.15 If you put all these people to death, leaving none alive, the nations who have heard this report about you will say,16 ‘The Lord was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath, so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’

17 “Now may the Lord’s strength be displayed, just as you have declared:18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’19 In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.”

20 The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked.21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth,22 not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times—23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it.24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.25 Since the Amalekites and the Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.[a]”

26 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron:27 “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.28 So tell them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very thing I heard you say:29 In this wilderness your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me.30 Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.31 As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.32 But as for you, your bodies will fall in this wilderness.33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness.34 For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’35 I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.”

36 So the men Moses had sent to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble against him by spreading a bad report about it—37 these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report about the land were struck down and died of a plague before the Lord.38 Of the men who went to explore the land, only Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh survived.

39 When Moses reported this to all the Israelites, they mourned bitterly.40 Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country, saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!”

41 But Moses said, “Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!42 Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies,43 for the Amalekites and the Canaanites will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you and you will fall by the sword.”

44 Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up toward the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp.45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.

Supplementary Offerings

15 The Lord said to Moses,2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘After you enter the land I am giving you as a home3 and you present to the Lord food offerings from the herd or the flock, as an aroma pleasing to the Lord—whether burnt offerings or sacrifices, for special vows or freewill offerings or festival offerings—4 then the person who brings an offering shall present to the Lord a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah[b] of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hin[c] of olive oil.5 With each lamb for the burnt offering or the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering.

6 “‘With a ram prepare a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah[d] of the finest flour mixed with a third of a hin[e] of olive oil,7 and a third of a hin of wine as a drink offering. Offer it as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

8 “‘When you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering or sacrifice, for a special vow or a fellowship offering to the Lord,9 bring with the bull a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah[f] of the finest flour mixed with half a hin[g] of olive oil,10 and also bring half a hin of wine as a drink offering. This will be a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.11 Each bull or ram, each lamb or young goat, is to be prepared in this manner.12 Do this for each one, for as many as you prepare.

13 “‘Everyone who is native-born must do these things in this way when they present a food offering as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.14 For the generations to come, whenever a foreigner or anyone else living among you presents a food offering as an aroma pleasing to the Lord, they must do exactly as you do.15 The community is to have the same rules for you and for the foreigner residing among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the foreigner shall be the same before the Lord:16 The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the foreigner residing among you.’”

Mark 14:53-72

Mark 14:53-72New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together.54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire.

55 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any.56 Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree.

57 Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him:58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’”59 Yet even then their testimony did not agree.

60 Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?”61 But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer.

Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

63 The high priest tore his clothes. “Why do we need any more witnesses?” he asked.64 “You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”

They all condemned him as worthy of death.65 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.

Peter Disowns Jesus

66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by.67 When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him.

“You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.

68 But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.[a]

69 When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.”70 Again he denied it.

After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”

71 He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”

72 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time.[b] Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice[c] you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Psalm 53

Psalm 53New International Version (NIV)

For the director of music. According to mahalath.[b] A maskil[c] of David.

1 The fool says in his heart,“There is no God.”They are corrupt, and their ways are vile;there is no one who does good.

2 God looks down from heavenon all mankindto see if there are any who understand,any who seek God.3 Everyone has turned away, all have become corrupt;there is no one who does good,not even one.

4 Do all these evildoers know nothing?

They devour my people as though eating bread;they never call on God.5 But there they are, overwhelmed with dread,where there was nothing to dread.God scattered the bones of those who attacked you;you put them to shame, for God despised them.

6 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!When God restores his people,let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

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